If someone buys the heavily discounted item that you just returned, then the store is again out of stock. You’re back to square one.
Obviously there is some latency between return and when they put the item back on the floor. Sure you might not have days but you’ll have enough time.
So when a TV/BBQ Grill/Furniture item goes on clearance and disappears off shelves at one walmart on one side of town, it doesn’t go on clearance on other side of town and that walmart still has 5+ left in stock?
Yes.
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Yes. Or more likely X is 75 or 90 % markdown (and sold out) at 2 of 10 local Walmart and 10% off at the other 8. Depending what the item is, there may be 5, 20 or 50 at some of those other stores. The other stores likely sell out as the discount increases (50%?) before reaching Max discount. Eventually all stores get to the Max discount, but usually by that time they’re sold out. Plus you’d have terrible logistics in trying to catch the markdown day and rush there and get the item(s) and/or employee or customer hiding of said items.
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Got it, thanks. I had no idea this was the case. Seems obvious to me that it wouldn’t be the case just to avoid the exact scheme we’re talking about here, but then again, most people don’t go through the trouble of returning in order to price match, so maybe it’s not that obvious.
I can see how this could work, but the human factor is the main thing I would think could screw you up. That and the walmart computers figuring it out and un-discounting the product. I suppose if you have the time to do multiple walmart trips and ebay listings, and there are no hiccups along the way, this is a legit arbitrage opportunity.